The Woken Ones – The Secret of the Night

By Johanna Lumme Siri Kolu

One night, 11-year-old Leo wakes up to discover that his seemingly normal parents have been keeping a secret from him. Every night, his mom and dad turn into fighters who battle terrifying creatures of the night – right in their back yard. Now that the truth has become clear to Leo, he too must join the fight and protect his little sister Lumia from the night world of horror. For this, he will need endless wit and courage.But if you struggle with ferocious monsters all night, you will inevitably get tired during the day. How could Leo possibly lie to his best friends, and tell them that all is well? He knows that he has no choice, for the secret must not be revealed.

The Woken Ones The Secret of the Night is the first book in a new addictive series by celebrated author Siri Kolu, illustrated by Johanna Lumme. Drawing inspirations from ancient myths and gaming, Kolu has created an action-packed horror story that also touches on subjects such as grief and friendship. 

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About the author

Johanna Lumme (b. 1990) is one of the most renowned illustrators and children’s book authors in Finland. The artist and illustrator is recognised for her illustrations in Finnish primary school books in collaboration with author Siri Kolu.Lumme is also the illustrator of two middle-grade series written by Kolu. The first series, Wild House, has appeared between 2019 and 2021. This was followed by the duo’s trilogy The Woken Ones of which the two first titles came out in 2022 and 2023.The artist began her own series of picture books as well. In 2019, Lumme brought out The Jungle Crew – Into the City! which is her debut picture book where the story of the Jungle Crew begins. This beautifully illustrated series presents a group of animal friends who move out of their home jungle into the city, and try to navigate their way in their new urban surroundings. All pictures are drawn and painted by hand, giving young readers a visually stunning series that teaches about being in a new environment and also taking care of it. 

Siri Kolu (b. 1972) is a writer, dramatist, director and theatre instructor, which are among her many duties in the Finnish cultural field.She is a Finlandia Junior Prize winner and her works have been translated into 22 languages. Kolu has been awarded the Laivakello Prize by the Finnish Institute for Children’s Literature, and in the Netherlands, she won the Silver Slate Pencil. Me and the Robbersons received an honorary mention in British Book Trust’s ”In Other Words” competition in 2018. Kolu is a front-line author with a strong voice and she has published a broad range of works that range from humourous middle-grade stories to edgy YA cross-over fiction.